"Squirrels: Are they just rats with better PR? Be advised that this is not safe reading material for squirrel lovers, or even squirrel apologists. In my opinion, squirrels are worse than rats-smarter, more devious, more destructive. I've had them nest in my chimney, chew holes in my eaves to get into my walls, and destroy multiple bird feeders. I even had one chew through an entire 4-by-2 pergola rafter to get at a suet block."
"With the popularity of smart bird feeders, it's even more important to learn ways to keep them out of your yard, lest they turn your investment into a pile of chewed-up plastic bits. To make matters worse, if you live on the West Coast like I do, you're likely to be dealing with the Eastern gray squirrel, which is a nonnative, invasive species that competes for resources with native species like Western gray squirrels. What's a backyard bird enthusiast to do?"
"Experts refer to it as the 5-7-9 Rule: Keep your feeder at least 5 feet off the ground, 7 feet away from structures like houses, trees, or fences; and 9 feet away from anything overhead that they could jump from, such as a tree branch or roof. This usually means putting your feeder on a pole with a baffle (I use the set above), or hanging it from a tall shepherd's hook."
Squirrels are intelligent, devious, and destructive animals that can nest in chimneys, chew holes in eaves and walls, and ruin bird feeders and structures. Smart bird feeders are especially vulnerable to chewing and theft, turning investments into damaged plastic. Eastern gray squirrels can be nonnative and invasive in some regions, competing with native species. A reliable, harmless prevention strategy is the 5-7-9 Rule: position feeders at least 5 feet above ground, 7 feet from structures, and 9 feet from any overhead launch points. Common implementations include pole-mounted feeders with baffles or hanging feeders from tall shepherd's hooks.
Read at WIRED
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